MotorCity BMW CCA 1 Day HPDE Waterford Hills June 15th 2012

[Blymee]

There are still a few places left for students, so enroll ASAP. If you are an instructor and would like to come play for the day, register via the link below on motorsportreg. 

Join us for our annual one-day high performance driver's education (HPDE) event at Waterford Hills.
Conveniently located in metro Detroit, Waterford Hills offers an invigorating driving experience for novice and expert alike.

This year, the event will be held on Friday, June 15th, 2012. What better way to start a summer weekend?

2012 marks our eighth consecutive year at Waterford Hills. Motor City BMWCCA prides itself on offering some of the best in-car instruction in HPDE. From first-timer to intermediate to advanced drivers, we will help you improve!

Already registered?  Then look no further for the forms you'll need...

    Technical Inspection Form ==> CLICK HERE to download.

    Medical Information Form ==> CLICK HERE to download

    Note: Helmet Information Form is no longer needed

Event Fast Facts
 

Location: Waterford Hills in Clarkston, MI
Situated on the grounds of the Oakland County Sportmen's Club,
between I-75 and Dixie Highway (US 24)
 
Event Type: High Performance Drivers Education (HPDE)
This is a non-timed, non-competitive driving event.
Participants safely learn and develop (a) high performance driving
technique, (b) driving line at Waterford Hills, and (c) situational awareness
through on-track and classroom experiences.  In-car instructors are
provided for all students, and solo opportunities are available if student
and instructor agree it’s appropriate.
 
Driving Groups: Participants will be organized into one of three driving
groups (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) based on experience.
Passing rules are more lenient for more experienced students.
Our goal is to foster a safe and invigorating environment for everyone!
 
Amenities: In the morning, donuts/bagels and coffee will be served. We’ll take a break for a catered lunch mid-day.  All through the day,
we’ll have bottled water to keep you hydrated!
 
Drivers: Need to be 18 years or older and carry a valid drivers license. You will also need a Snell SA or M-rated helmet (2000 or newer).
We have some helmets available to rent, but supplies are limited!
 
Vehicles: Will need to undergo a pre-event technical inspection by a
licensed mechanic.  Our apologies, but we cannot accommodate
convertibles (soft or retractable hardtop), targa, or T-top vehicles.
 
Price: $125 for current BMWCCA members.
$173 for non-members (price includes 1-year membership in BMWCCA)
 
Additional Information: Just post a reply to this topic, or send an email to
drivingevents@motorcitybmwcca.org
 
What’s Next: Click HERE to begin your registration now!

[mlahtinen]

Could someone please address how insurance companies view this event. Is one covered under normal (State Farm) insurance?

[emaassen]

You'll have to look at your policy to see what it states about on-track events.  It varies from provider to provider and from year to year.  There have been companies offering track day policies, but that varies state to state and year to year. Maybe someone will comment who has looked into the track day policies recently.

[mlahtinen]

Where is the form?

The car I signed up with is a 2011 VW GTI, which is just coming out of a 20,000 mile service. Does this qualify as an inspection?

[Blymee]

Tech Inspection & Medical Forms now available in the first post of this topic.

[Bronze]

Just completed my technical inspection at Erhard.  They found a stone chip on my windshield that I didn't know I had, so I'll get that fixed ASAP.

I do have a question on brake fluid age.  The fluid was last changed 13 months ago by a BMW dealer using OEM fluid.  However, I just purchased the car in March, and it was for sale, being undriven, for a few months (I'll chase down by how much).  So, the fluid age is beyond the 6 month age window listed on the tech inspection form, but from a wear/mileage, it's still quite low (probably only 8-9k miles).  Given these circumstances, is it acceptable for me to use the existing fluid for the 15th?  If I need to email this information to a specific authority for the event, I'm happy to do so.  I'd just like to get that information soon so I can respond and schedule an appt. for the car.

Thanks!

[mlahtinen]

Similar question. Car is 11 months old, 20,000 miles do I still need to replace the brake fluid?

[E36S50]

To: Bronze, mlahtinen, and others with a question about brake fluid change....

Motor City Chapter BMWCCA asks that all HPDE participants have brake fluid changed within the past 6 months.  The brake system is probably the most-stressed system on the vehicle at an HPDE.  For your safety and for that of the others on the track with you, brake fluid is an important vehicle maintenance item.  The reason that we set a time limit is because brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air.  Moisture (water) is the enemy of brake fluid.  Even if the car is not driven, the brake fluid will absorb moisture and its performance potential will deteriorate.

Whether you have your service shop perform this job or do-it-yourself, it's totally worth the time/energy/expense.

Pete
Chief Instructor

[Bronze]

Thanks Pete.  After thinking about it over the weekend, I had decided to just get the fluid changed.  See your note just emphasized my reconsideration.  Post-event, I can bleed/top off the fluid if I think the brakes were stressed excessively during the event.  In previous schools at Waterford, it seemed the only hard braking point was at the end of the back straight. But since every car is different, previous performance cannot guarantee future results. 

I should be able to get in to get the fluid changed.

[rperry]

A couple of people have asked about insurance.

Our driving schools really are structured as schools--that is, there are classroom sessions, drivers are classed in run groups according to their experience (for example, you'd be in the novice group if you've never been on the track before), and there's an experienced instructor in the right seat. Plus, we prohibit racing and lap timing, and there's no trophy at the end of the day, so it's not a competition event. But more and more insurance policies have been rewritten over the past few years to any exclude events held on a closed track, like Waterford Hills. State Farm, my insurer, is one that's done that.

Now, we think our events are safer than the trip getting to and from the track, but that's the way it is. So you'll need to read your policy or talk with your agent about whether your particular insurer will cover you for our school.

However, if your "street" policy doesn't cover you, you can still buy track insurance. (I go to the track 10 or 12 weekends a year, so I buy an annual policy.) Specific event insurance also is available, and there's a link on our registration site for the Waterford Hills school (Motorsportreg.com) that you can click to see the policy terms and what it costs. For example, for our Waterford Hills school, if you bought $20,000 in coverage (which comes with a $2,000 deductible), the cost would be $136. For some folks, that's too much money. For others, it's a "I can sleep at night" sort of thing. It's up to you.

Hope this helps on the insurance question!

[Big Ben]

For some reason, when I click on the tech inspection and helmet forms, nothing comes up.    Is anyone else having this problem? Maybe they can be emailed to me?

See you there.

Thanks

Kendra

[Blymee]

For some reason, when I click on the tech inspection and helmet forms, nothing comes up.    Is anyone else having this problem? Maybe they can be emailed to me?

See you there.

Thanks

Kendra

What browser are you using? Do you have a Pop Up blocker enabled, a download window should pop up.

[mlahtinen]

Reserved a helmet when making the reservation. Am I assured one since I reserved it, how does this work?

[rperry]

Matti, you are down for a helmet. We'll have a selection of sizes at the track, so no matter the size, we should have you covered (literally!).

[tmann]

Where can I find an agenda for the day?  I am trying to determine when to arrive.